I'm the Director of Sportsimpacts and an Economics Professor at the George Herbert Walker School of Business at Webster University in St Louis, MO.
I've conducted research at Super Bowls, Final Fours, All-Star Games, Ryder Cups, and numerous Division I NCAA Championship events.
www.sportsimpacts.net
www.webster.edu/business/depts/

All-German Match, Absence of Messi and Ronaldo Will Hurt U.S. TV Ratings for 2013 Champions Final

Head coach Jupp Heynckes of FC Bayern Munich speaks with Bastian Schweinsteiger of Bayern Munich during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg versus Real Madrid on April 25, 2012 in Madrid, Spain.

I figured it was only fitting that I start this piece in German, given that on May 25th the world will watch as Bayern Munich faces Borussia Dortmund in the finals of UEFA’s 2013 Champions League…unquestionably the most significant annual club soccer tournament in the world.

And though these German sides undeniably earned their respective berths in the finals as they blitzed Spanish stalwarts Barcelona and Real Madrid in the UEFA semifinals, and while German soccer enthusiasts worldwide will pridefully watch this first-ever all-German Champions final, I suspect that TV ratings in the U.S. for the final match will suffer for the match compared to the last few seasons.

Why? Two simple reasons.

1) Real Madrid and Barcelona are considerably more popular among U.S. soccer fans than are Bayern or Dortmund, even though both duos have been similarly dominant in their respective home leagues (RM and Barca have won 15 of the last 17 La Liga titles, while Bayern and Dortmund have won 13 of the last 17 Bundesliga titles).

2) Neither Lionel Messi (Barcelona) or Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), two of the most recognizable athletes in the world irrespective of sport, will be playing.

Messi and Ronaldo are among the most famous international athletes in the world, owing to (1) the popularity of their sport worldwide, (2) the brilliance with which they regularly display on the pitch, and (3) their looks. They are rock stars, cult heroes, and international brands all rolled up into one impressive package.

Whatever they touch is gold, and that includes the play of their respective clubs which helps to draw eyeballs to TVs.

As a partial byproduct, they play for 2 of the 3 most valuable soccer franchises in the world according to Forbes estimates. Real Madrid ranks first at $3.3 billion, with Barcelona third at $2.6 billion. Bayern lags considerably behind in fifth position at $1.3 million while Dortmund trails yet further behind in 13th position at $456 million.

Though soccer is comprised of 11 players on the pitch identical to American football, soccer exhibits characteristics more similar to the NBA in terms of the impact that a marquee player can have on TV ratings. Soccer and basketball players, unlike football and hockey players, are facially exposed (i.e. unmasked) which helps with fan and viewer identification. Additionally, top soccer and basketball players are generally on the field for a greater percentage of match time than is true of top baseball, hockey, or football players…which helps demand the consumer’s attention when the marquee players play.

Messi and Ronaldo have name recognition and brand recognition on their side, as do their clubs. As such, they are must-watch TV for ardent American soccer fans…and may even catch the eye of the casual U.S. sports fan.

Fox has done an excellent job with covering the Champions Finals since first airing the 2010 match. But just a comparison of what’s happened to the ratings over the last three years supports the concern that ratings will dip relative to 2012.

Why the spike in 2011? Because it featured Messi and Barcelona versus Manchester United, the other darlings of the club soccer world. Comparatively, the 2010 match featured Bayern vs Inter-Milan from Italy’s Serie A while 2012′s final pitted Bayern vs Chelsea of the Barclays English Premier League.

Post Your Comment

Post Your Reply

Forbes writers have the ability to call out member comments they find particularly interesting. Called-out comments are highlighted across the Forbes network. You'll be notified if your comment is called out.